CHAPTER 73: 073 I, I AM DEFINITELY NOT INTERESTED IN BOYS!

There sat a man and a woman in the corner of the bar.

The woman was Xi’er, the waitress who had just led the Loki clan and met Reiger and others.

She was standing next to a customer, chatting with him while sneakily glancing this way towards Reiger, until she noticed his gaze and then, embarrassed, blushed and cast her eyes down, much like a shy girl caught staring at her secret crush.

The young man talking with Xi’er was looking in Reiger’s direction with eyes filled with admiration, envy, and longing.

With white hair, red eyes, and a somewhat childish face, he looked about thirteen or fourteen years old, giving off a completely harmless vibe.

Reiger recognized the boy.

On the day the Loki clan set out on their expedition, this boy was in the crowd, casting the same kind of look towards Reiger and his group.

"Is he here as well?"

Reiger murmured to himself, quickly recalling the plot of the original story.

He remembered that in the original story, when the Loki clan returned from the expedition, they had stirred up a group of Minotaurs nesting on the 17th layer, Lv.2 monsters, which had scattered and fled to the 5th layer, and it was Ais who stepped in to save this little boy from being slain there.

But perhaps because of his own presence, there were certain differences in the time and other aspects of the Loki clan’s expedition this time; and although the creatures from the original story still appeared, they did not encounter the Minotaurs that should have been on the 17th layer, nor did they disturb them enough to cause them to scatter to other floors.

As a result—

"We didn’t meet in the underground city, but here we are meeting here."

Truth be told, Reiger was somewhat eager to walk over and get to know him better.

After all, as far as he knew, this was the only person in the world who could compete with him in growth and potential.

The other was very weak now, Reiger saw immediately; he must have just received Grace’s blessing not long ago, a proper Lv.1 newbie.

But given three months, maybe the other could reach the position he was in now.

Even though some of the original plot had changed, Reiger didn’t believe this would affect the other’s growth.

That was inherently a hero with infinite potential, just needing the right opportunity to unleash that potential.

And that opportunity could be anything.

At least, seeing the longing look in the other’s eyes, Reiger felt.

This person would definitely make his way to his side.

"It’s a pity..."

Reiger took his gaze back.

He couldn’t go over.

Because someone was next to the boy.

And it was someone Reiger did not wish to contact or touch for the time being.

"Mr. Reiger?"

As Reiger thought about this, a soft voice from the elf girl beside him woke him up.

"What are you looking at?"

Rephia looked puzzled at the direction Reiger had just been looking.

Ais also glanced that way and caught Xi’er’s eye. Seeing the other smile slightly at her, she clumsily nodded back.

"Nothing," Reiger pulled his thoughts back, sipped his drink, and smiled, "Just saw someone interesting, that’s all."

"Someone interesting?" Rephia asked curiously, "Who?"

"A little boy." Reiger replied to Rephia, "If you’re interested, I’ll introduce him to you next time."

Reiger was just saying this casually.

However, Rephia’s reaction was much more intense than Reiger anticipated.

"I, I am not interested in boys at all!"

Suddenly flustered, Rephia blurted out.

At these words, the entire place went silent.

"Huh?"

Rephia first froze, then suddenly realized what she had just exclaimed.

Every head in the room, including those at the neighboring tables, turned to stare at Rephia with an extremely odd expression.

"Look, Rephia," Theone said, gazing at Rephia as if looking at a warrior, "That sort of thing is better said in private, why shout it in public?"

"Is Rephia really that way?" Theona blinked and teased, "I thought you looked at Ais funny."

"Looking at me?" Ais appeared completely bewildered.

"Rephia..." Revilia half-closed her eyes, her gaze at her apprentice filled with a chilling intensity.

As for Finn and Grace, they seemed to pretend they hadn’t heard anything.

The rest were either looking at Rephia with teasing in their eyes or acting as if they hadn’t heard.

It was Loki, slightly tipsy, who held his drink and burst out laughing loudly.

"Quite bold, Rephia, but you are right, who likes boys anyway? It’s the cute and pretty girls we should like!"

That was a fatal blow!

"It’s not... I... didn’t... !?"

Rephia’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, panicking as she tried to explain but completely unable to articulate her words.

Especially when this elven girl saw Reiger suddenly fall silent with an embarrassed face, unable to speak, and Ais still looking baffled, not understanding what had happened...

"Oooh... Ooohhhhhhhh...!"

Rephia burst into tears.

"Rephia!?"

"Where are you going!?"

"Come back!"

The crowd exclaimed in succession.

Both Reiger and Ais jumped up as they watched Rephia crying while preparing to run out of the pub, and they quickly chased after her, one behind the other.

What followed was a scene of utter chaos.

To capture the elf girl, ashamed and almost ready to jump into the river, it took a herculean effort from everyone.

"Please let me disappear! Disappear from this world!"

The elf girl’s loud shout echoed in every corner of the area, causing quite a stir.

"Hahahaha....."

The patrons in the tavern, who had been looking at Loki’s family members with awe, now burst into laughter at the spectacle.

"Hmph!"

The burly female tavern owner, whom Loki called Mia’s mother, also watched the commotion and snorted twice, but her face held a smile.

The staff moved forward to help, turning the whole tavern into a place of merriment, even pulling the family members at the outdoor seating into the fray.

"Oh dear, it’s turned into quite a ruckus."

Xier still stood by the corner of the bar, smiling broadly.

Envy and longing grew in the eyes of the white-haired little boy sitting next to Xier.

"Is this Loki’s family?"

The boy with red eyes stared at the bustling Loki’s family, as if looking at something dazzling.

"Do you really like Loki’s family, Mr. Bell?"

Seeing his expression, Xier asked with some curiosity.

"I, I’m just really envious of that atmosphere."

The white-haired boy known as Bell said, somewhat embarrassed.

Yet, he continued to gaze at the boisterous Loki’s family, and spoke softly.

"Because I’m the only one in my family, I yearn for it."

"I yearn for that feeling of everyone being together, bustling and adventuring."

"That might just be what being with heroes is like."

Desire shone even more intensely in the eyes of the boy named Bell.

"Someday, I too will....."

In a quiet corner of the tavern, unknown to others, the white-haired boy made a wish that could influence the future yet no one believed.

And the only witness was Xier.

Xier watched Bell, her eyes filled with an unusual fondness and a hint of infatuation that others couldn’t detect.

This fondness and infatuation remained even as Xier shifted her gaze back to Loki’s family.

The young, attractive waitress stared at a member of Loki’s family, her lips slightly curving up in an almost imperceptible smile.

...

The feast continued until late into the night before it finally concluded.

Most of the tavern’s patrons had left, leaving only a few drunkards fast asleep on their tables.

"I want to die....."

Drunk and with flushed cheeks as if trying to escape something, Rephia lay on Ais’s back, murmuring words of despair.

"It’s alright, Rephia, let’s go home."

Ais spoke gently to Rephia, a rare tone for her.

"Wuuu... Miss Ais..."

Rephia, not sure whether to feel touched or something else, appeared tearful. Along with her reddened cheeks, she looked exceedingly adorable.

"Hahaha!"

Loki laughed heartily, already drunk, carried on Revilia’s back, who looked quite disgusted.

"Alright, let’s head back."

Finn called out to the family members, signaling it was time to head home.

"Let’s go, let’s go."

"That silly wolf, it really didn’t come back until the end, huh?"

Theona and Theone, still sober, chatted idly with the members as they started on their way home.

The group, mostly drunk, followed the few who could still keep their wits about them toward the direction of their family headquarters.

Reiger walked at the back.

"Thank you all."

After handing over a purse filled with gold coins to Mia, the female tavern owner, Reiger prepared to head back.

At the entrance of the tavern, a female staff member cleaning something saw this and hesitated for a moment before mustering the courage to approach.

"Um..."

Xier seemed hesitant to speak, her cheeks also turning slightly red.

"Yes?"

Reiger quietly watched the girl, and after a moment, he asked.

"No, nothing." Xier waved her hand, somewhat flustered, and then smiled shyly: "I just wanted to wish you good luck."

Xier, saying this with her head slightly lowered, indeed looked like a little fan admiring her idol.

"I will."

After watching Xier for a while, Reiger finally showed a faint smile.

Then, Reiger turned and left, without a hint of reluctance.

Xier watched Reiger until his figure vanished.

"Xier! Come help!"

Inside, someone called out for Xier.

"Coming!"

Xier suddenly smiled widely and bounced back into the tavern.

Clearly, the girl was in a very good mood.